My name is Philip Yorke. This is a place where you can find out about Francis Hacker, the main character in the series of books I am writing about the English civil wars and the short-lived Republic, other principal historical figures, reader reviews, articles and blogs I have published – or digest an opinion I simply wish to get off my chest via social media! It is also a place where you can share ideas, buy my books and send direct feedback to me. 

Introducing Francis Hacker of the Leicestershire Militia

The country squire who fought for a cause he truly believed in

At the outbreak of hostilities in August 1642, Francis Hacker was just one of many members of England's landed gentry who supported attempts by Parliament to hold Charles the First to account. He was a man of few words, preferring deeds to oratory. Yet even though he was a quiet and introverted figure, Francis inspired loyalty in the troops he led – and proved to be an extremely capable military commander, catching the eye of Oliver Cromwell and other leading Parliamentary figures. 

Introducing Lucy Hay, the Countess of Carlisle

A beautiful spy whose betrayal of her King opened the door to war

She was feted by poets and nobility alike, yet none knew of the dangerous games played by Lady Lucy Hay, one of England's most beautiful women who resided at the Court of King Charles. For Lucy was a Parliamentarian spy, and a confidante and friend to Queen Henrietta – an association that helped her undermine the King's desperate attempts to capture five prominent Parliamentarians who led opposition to his unpopular, divisive and ultimately terminal reign.

1642-51: the bloodiest period in British history

The three English civil wars pitted brother against brother, ripped families and communities apart – and resulted in more than five per cent of the total population of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales being slaughtered. Relations between the King and Parliament had been deteriorating since the rule of King James the First. When James died, and Charles, his eldest surviving son, became King, relations between the crown and the people dipped to a new low. But rather than listen to the voice of Parliament, the King believed he was only answerable to God. So he permitted unpopular laws and allowed controversial 'popist' changes to the practices of the Church of England to be introduced. These were openly greeted with hostility by a traditionally loyal population.
By 1642, relations between the King and Parliament were so strained there could only be one outcome: an armed conflict.
Civil war was declared on 22 August 1642, when the King raised his standard in Nottingham. Nine years of bloody warfare would follow. During this period, Charles would lose his throne and his head; Oliver Cromwell would rise through the ranks to become the most powerful commoner in British history; and Francis Hacker – a Leicestershire landowner and gentleman – would emerge as one of the most formidable military leader figures of the era.

Introducing Prince Rupert, the King's eccentric nephew

From the killing fields of Europe came a fearless Bohemian Prince

Underneath the ornately crafted clothing and the perfumed wig, Prince Rupert of the Rhine was a man of steel who enjoyed a well-earned reputation as a formidable leader of men – earned on the battlefields of Europe during the merciless Thirty Years' War. A nephew to King Charles, Rupert was held in awe by the Royalist troops he commanded, who revered his bravery and military shrewdness. His enemies, meanwhile, feared and loathed him, often blaming him for atrocities he simply didn't commit. 

Introducing Oliver Cromwell, the rising star of Parliament

A fiery preacher who became the most powerful man in England

Oliver Cromwell's name continues to provoke a reaction hundreds of years after his death. You are either for him, or against him: there is little room for manoeuvre in between! Yet what most people believe Cromwell stood for is often based on misperceptions and factual inaccuracy. Yes, he was a formidable soldier and military leader. And yes, he held strong religious beliefs. But he was also a sensitive man whose main purposes were to hold a tyrannical King to account – and seek important Parliamentary reforms.

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